Salem YMCA Creative Arts

Salem YMCA Creative Arts

Salem YMCA Creative Arts | Salem, MA

About Salem YMCA Creative Arts

Salem YMCA Creative Arts brings youth theatre, adult classes, and a hands-on pottery studio together under one roof in downtown Salem. The program is home to the Salem YMCA Youth Theatre Company, adult dance and pottery classes, and a full calendar of performances and community events. Every class and production takes the stage at Ames Memorial Hall, a historic theatre perched above the Salem YMCA.

Our Experience

Led by Creative Arts Director Jay Gould, the program draws on a team of working actors, choreographers, musicians, and technical theatre professionals. Instructors bring experience from Off-Broadway, national tours, conservatories, and regional theatre companies directly into the classroom and rehearsal room. Furthermore, students and performers benefit from Ames Memorial Hall, a beautifully restored nineteenth-century theatre with a proscenium stage and exceptional acoustics.

Core Offerings

• Salem YMCA Youth Theatre Company classes and mainstage musical productions
• Adult dance classes, including ballet and hip hop
• Youth and adult pottery and claymaking classes
• Youth vocal ensemble and technical theatre training
• The Gothic Series, professionally produced theatre and concerts at Ames Memorial Hall
• Community fundraisers supporting creative arts scholarships

Youth Theatre Company

Salem YMCA Creative Arts gives young performers a place to build confidence and stagecraft, from their first class through mainstage productions.

• Classes for ages 4 and up, from introductory musical theatre to scene study
• Technical theatre training in lighting, sound, costumes, and stage management
• Youth vocal ensemble for group singing and performance
• Opportunities to perform in fully staged musical productions

Adult Programs

Adults of all experience levels are welcome to explore dance in a supportive studio setting.

• Ballet classes covering technique, posture, and musicality
• Hip hop classes focused on rhythm, choreography, and self-expression
• No prior dance experience required

Pottery Studio

Budding artists of all ages can get their hands dirty in the pottery studio.

• Wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing for youth
• Pinch, coil, and slab handbuilding for youth and adults
• Classes for young children through teens, plus family sessions

The Gothic Series

Each fall, the Gothic Series brings professionally produced theatre and music to the Ames Memorial Hall stage.

• Produced and performed by professional theatre and music artists
• Immersive theatrical productions staged in the historic hall
• Candlelit solo piano concerts featuring acclaimed musicians
• Proceeds support creative arts scholarships and programming

What Makes Us Special

Salem YMCA Creative Arts stands out for pairing professional-caliber instruction and programming with the warmth and accessibility of a YMCA program. Consequently, students and audiences alike experience working theatre, dance, and music professionals, from the classroom to productions like the Gothic Series, all on a historic stage rarely available to community arts programs. In addition, ticket and program proceeds directly support scholarships that keep classes accessible to families throughout the North Shore.

Contact

Salem YMCA Creative Arts
1 Sewall Street
Salem, MA 01970

Contact: Jay Gould, Creative Arts Director
Phone: 978-744-0351
Email: gouldj@northshoreymca.org
Website: Salem YMCA Creative Arts

Where Salem’s performers and artists of every age find their creative home.